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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. spell — a short time
  3. scale — in music
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. kick — in football
  6. root — of a plant
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. race — a contest
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. spell — letters
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. root — of a word
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. spell — magic
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. stem — to come from
  20. race — the arms race
  21. scale — size or range
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. race — humankind

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com